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PHILADELPHIA: 

J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY. 

1891. 




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RHODE ISLAND 



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PHILADELPHIA: 

J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY 

1891. 



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Copyright, 1891, by J. B. Lippincott Company. 







RHODE ISLAND. 



Rhode Island, the smallest of the United 
States, and one of the original thirteen states of 
the Union : the state takes its name from the 
island of Rhode Island in Narragansett Bay. Its 
length from north to south is not quite 50 miles, 
and its width is ahout 40 miles ; land area, 1085 
sq. m. Rhode Island has thus a land surface 
only about ^J^th as great as that of Texas, 
the largest state ; hut, while it ranks only thirty- 
fifth among the forty-nine states and territories in 
order of population, in density of population (318 
per sq. m.) it holds the first place. Its name is 
referred by some to a supposed resemblance of the 
island of Rhode Island to Rhodes in the Mediter- 
ranean, while by others it is considered to be a cor- 
ruption of Roodt Eylandt ('Red Island'), a name 
bestowed upon this island by the early Dutch. 

There are no mountains in tlie state, but the 
surface is considerably diversified. The northern 
and eastern sections are hilly, and the land slopes 
toward a level region in the south. The most 
important elevations are ^Voonsocket Hill, Mount 
Hope, Diamond Hill, and Hopkins Hill. The 
coast along the Atlantic Ocean measures about 45 
miles, but Narragansett Bay, which penetrates 
inland some 30 miles, aiibnls Avith its various 
inlets about 350 miles of shore washed by tide- 
water. The southern coast west of Point Judith 
is low and sandy, with numerous fine beaches, and 
many marshes and ponds of salt water. To the 
west the shores are formed by high rocky cliffs 
interspersed with beaches of sand. Newport, 
Narragansett Pier, and Watcli Hill, on the ocean 



4 RHODE ISLAND. 

coast, are among the most famous seaside resorts 
of the country ; and Block Island, about 10 miles 
SW. of Point Judith, is also a favourite watering- 
place. 

The western part of the state is marked geologi- 
cally by the Archaean formation which is character- 
istic of much of New England, but an extensive 
coal-bearing area of the Carboniferous period 
stretches under the bay across the eastern part of 
the state into Massachusetts. It is the most eastern 
bed of anthracite in the United States, but thus 
far the coal which has been mined has been of 
inferior quality. There are deposits of iron ore, 
and excellent limestones and granite. Traces of 
the terminal moraine of the glacial period are 
visible in the state, and in many places the soil is 
stony or rocky, though in some localities it is 
moderately fertile. Agriculture, however, except 
in the way of market-gardening, is by no means a 
leading occupation. 

Rhode Island enjoys a maritime climate, milder 
and more equable than that of other portions of 
New England. The rivers of the state are of 
little importance for navigation, but are of great 
value in furnishing water-power, and have played 
a prominent part in developing the industries of 
the state. The principal rivers are the Seekonk, 
navigable to Pawtucket, the Woonasquatucket, 
the Pawtuxet, and the Pawcatuck. 

Newport has one of the finest harbours in the 
world, and the bay affords an extensive area of 
safe anchorage, with excellent ports at Bristol, 
Warren, and Providence. Formerly these places 
enjoyed a large foreign commerce, Avhich finally 
disappeared with the Avar of 1812, and, though a 
considerable coasting trade is still carried on, com- 
merce from that time ceased to be a prominent 
industry. It Avas replaced by manufacturing, 
Avhich has ever since been the characteristic occupa- 
tion of the people. The cotton manufacturing 
industry of the United States had its birth in 
Rhode Island. In 1790 Samuel Slater, Avho had 
been an apprentice in England, built at PaAvtucket 
Falls the first cotton-mill of America. He equipped 
the mill throughout Avith a complete set of machin- 
ery Avliich he constructed from memory, and by the 
time Rhode Island had ceased to be a commercial 
state it had already upAvards of fifty cotton-mills. 
Cotton manufacturing, Avitli dyeing, bleaching, and 
calico-printing, still holds the first place among 
the industries of the community, folloAved in im- 



RHODE ISLAND. 5 

portance by the manufacture of woollen and iron 
goods — especially screws, locomotives, and firearms 
— and of jewelleiy (see Providence), rubber and 
leather goods, &c. 

There are five counties in Rhode Island and 
four cities, Providence, Newport, Pawtucket, and 
Woonsocket. Of these Providence and Newport 
are both capitals of the state. The common school 
system, established in 1828, is of the highest order ; 
but on account of the number of foreign-born 
persons attracted to the mill villages, and the diffi- 
culty in such communities of securing regular 
attendance at the schools, there is a remarkable 
prevalence of illiteracy. In 1889 there were 51,895 
pupils enrolled, with an average attendance of 
33,827 ; the educational expenditure amounted to 
$907,286, There are many private institutions of 
great merit, and Brown University (1764) is one 
of the oldest and best colleges of the country. 

The Northmen are supposed to have visited 
Rhode Island in the 10th century ; and the ' Old 
Stone Mill ' at Newport (q. v. ) has been claimed as 
their work. The first permanent settlement was 
made at Providence by Roger Williams in 1636. 
He and other settlers purchased lands from the 
Indians, and, as a result of the wise policy dis- 
played toward the natives, Rhode Island suffered 
less from trouble with the Indians than many of 
her sister colonies. Rhode Island was tlie last 
(1790) of the original thirteen states to ratify the 
constitution. In the war of the revolution, in 
that of 1812, and in the civil war of 1861-65, she 
took an active part. Pop. (1730) 17,935; (1830) 
97,199; (1880) 276,531 ; (1890) 345,506. 



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